Joshua l



J. L. JONES.

(No Model.)

LOUK.

No. 504,785. Patented Sept. 12, 1893.

\NITN 83583 @vca/L UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSHUA L. JONES, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 504,785, datedSeptember 12, 1893.

Application filed May 8, 1893. Serial No. 473,880. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSHUA L. JONES, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, 1n the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Locks, of which the followingis a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in a form of lock which is usedfor fastening the lids of trunks, tool boxes or sliding doors such asare used in ordinary freight cars and my object is the introduction of anew feature in such locks which greatly increases their efficiency anddurability without greatly increasing their cost the manner of applyingthis new improvement being described hereinafter and is illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of alock of the general construction to which my improvement may be applied.Fig. 2 is an elevation of the rear side of Fig. 1 and showing my newimprovement. Fig. 3 is a cross section of Fig. 1 on line X Y. Figs. 4and 5 show a portion of Fig. 2 with the catch plate removed for thepurpose hereinafter stated. Fig. 6 is an edge elevation of a vibratoryor swing locking bar. Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section of Fig.1 on lineV W with the swing locking bar in the open position and the catch plateremoved, as will be again referred to. Fig. 8 is a front elevation ofthe catch plate as it appears when detached from Fig. 1. Figs. 9 and 10show modifications of my new improvement which will be described.

Similar letters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

A is the main body or case of the lock in which is mounted to swing onapivotal ridge 0 the locking bar B.

The body portion of the lock consists of a base A, with an extension Aat each end, each of the extensions being preferably recessed, and theends of the bar B being 7 adapted to be connected with said recesseswhile the central portion spans the space between the extensions. Theportions of the bar near each end rest against the bottom portions orcross pieces, A and A of the extensions, and one edge of the centralportion rests on a ledge A of the base, while the other edge rests uponthe catch plate, thus afiording a firm support for the bar at allpoints, whereby it is able to withstand the blows and rough usage it isliable to receive in handling. The bar 13 really serves as a hasp and isfurnished with a bolt J at one end which is locked and unlocked by meansof a key which is inserted in the key hole shown in Fig. 1,as is wellknown.

Locking bar B is provided with two lugs D and D, at its rear face, whichlugs engage in holes E and E of catch plate F, when the catch plate isin the closed position shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the catch plate beingfree to be released when the locking bar B is swung out to the positionshown in Fig. 7 against the pressure of spring G. A form of spring whichI have found efficient and which is shown in the drawings, is secured atone end to the bar B, near its central portion, and the other end, whichmay be curved as shown in Fig. 7, is passed between the cross pieces Aat that end, or the bottom of the extension may be provided with a holeor opening through which the end of the spring projects. The free end ofthe spring after projecting through the opening is adapted to engagewith the end of the bar and tends to force it outward, which will assistthe main portion in drawing the bar into locking engagement with theplate.

It will be understood that when this look is in use the main body of thelockA is attached to the body portion of the trunk or car while thecatch plate is attached to the trunk lid or car door, as the case maybe.

In locks in which there is a vibratory looking bar and a catch platecapable of engaging therewith at right angles to the plane of itsvibration the locking bar B must be swung out to the position shown inFig. 7 before the nose F of catch plate F can enter the lock case A tothe position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 for, if the locking bar is in theclosed-in position and an attempt be made to close a trunk or doorfurnished with this lock the nose of catch plate would strike thebeveled surface ofthe lugs D and D and acting as a wedge force out thecenter of length portion of the locking bar and either break it, or bendit outward and thus ruin it for the purpose intended, this being acommon fault in looks of this class and to prevent which I haveintroduced astop which operates automatically to prevent the closure ofthe swinging lock bar until the nose F of the catch plate is clear in tothe position where lugs D and D can enter the holes E and E, as will beshown.

By omitting the portion of the case at the point where the catch plateenters, I am able to make a long narrow lock which will add to thestrength of the sides of the trunk when made of thin material, as rawhide, and,when the lock is swung open, it will also give the largestopening or space for the entrance of the catch plate between the bar andthe side of the trunk without making the look so thick as to be tooheavy and cumbersome.

In the drawings I have shown three forms of stops which could be usedfor the purpose but I do not desire to confine myself to any particularstop since many other forms could be easily devised which would operateequally well to carry out the spirit of the invention in preventing theclosing of the bar B until it can engage with and lock the catch plate,as described. Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7 show a simple bolt stop K which ismounted in bearings in the case A to slide longitudinally in onedirection by means of a spring K and is made to slide in the oppositedirection by the pressure of the extreme end L of the nose F of catchplate F. The outward motion of bolt stop K is limited by means of a lugM on looking bolt B between lugsD and D. It is obvious that, should thelock have the several parts in the closed. position shown in Figs. 2 and3 the outer end of bolt stop K will be under the edge of the lockingba'r B, and, if new the locking baris unlocked and pulled out to theposition shown in Fig. 7 the bolt K will be free to slide outward andstand in contact with lug M at the rear of the locking bar to preventthe bar being closed inward. As the spring for operating the stop iscompressed when the stop is forced back from under the bar, as soon asthe bar is moved out of the path of the spring, which is done when thelock is opened, the spring will be released and the stop will be forcedout strong enough to throw the catch plate out of the case. If now, bythe closing of a trunk or door, to which the lock is attached, the noseF of catch plate F is moved to pass down into the lock case until itstrikes upon the end of bolt stop K the bolt will be forced inward tothe position shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. out of the way of the closing ofthe locking bar so that lugs D and D can enter and engage with the catchplate F in holes E and E.

In the modifications of the stops shown in Figs. 9 and 10 the arm P isprovided with a leaf spring in one instance while in the other the armand spring are made of one piece of material and either of these stopswill serve the same purpose as stop K hereinbefore described.

I claim as my invention 1. In a lock,in combination, a case, a lookingbar pivotally secured thereto at one end, a catch plate capable ofengaging with the bar at substantially right. angles to the plane of itsvibration, a stop for automatically engaging with the bar and holding itin its unlocked position, and automatic means for moving the bar intoits locked position when it is released from the stop, substantially asset forth.

2. In a lock, in combination, a case, a spring actuated vibratorylocking bar pivotally secured thereto at one end, a catch plate and aspring actuated stop, each capable of engaging with the bar atsubstantially right angles to the plane of its vibration, and alsocapable of engaging with each other, and the bar being in engagementwith the plate when locked and with the stop when unlocked, whereby,when the plate engages with the stop and forces it back, the barautomatically engages with the plate, and when the bar 1 s disengagedfrom the plate, the stop automatically engages with the plate and forcesit out of the case, substantially as set forth.

3. In a lock, in combination, a case, a v1- bratory locking bar therein,provided with lugs upon its under side, a spring actuated stop normallyresting with one end under the bar, and a perforated catch plate capableof engaging with the bar at substantially right angles to the plane ofits vibration, and having its nose adapted to engage with the stop andforce it back from under the bar when the plate is in such a positionthat the lugs on the bar will enter the holes of the plate when the baris released from the stop, substantially as set forth.

4.. In a lock, in combination, a case having a base portion and anextension at each end, a locking bar having its central portion spanningthe space between the extensions and with one end pivotally secured toone extension and having the other end adapted to be secured to theother extension, and a catch plate capable of engaging with the barbetween the extensions, substantially as set forth.

5. In a lock, in combination, a case having a base portion and anextension at each end and having a ledge between the extensions, a catchplate between the extensions, and a locking bar, the ends of which restupon the bottoms of the extensions, and the central portion rests uponthe ledge and the catch plate, substantially as set forth.

6. In a lock, in combination, a case,a looking bar pivotally securedthereto at one end, a spring secured to the central portion of the barat one end and having its opposite end passed through the bottom of theextension at that end and adapted to bear against the end of the barbeyond its pivotal point, and a catch plate for engaging with the bar,substantially as set forth.

7. In a lock, in combination, a case having 5 a base portion and anextension at each end thereof, a locking bar between the extensions,with each end in engagement with its respective extension, alongitudinally movable spring actuated stop mounted in the base of 10the case, one end of which, normally engages with the under side of thebar and holds it in an unlocked position, and a catch plate for engagingwith the stop and moving it 1ong1- tudinally from under the bar,substantially as set forth. :5

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand,this 3d day of May, 1893, in the presence of Witnesses.

JOSHUA L. JONES. Witnesses:

OSCAR SNELL, H. F. BEST.

